Factors Affecting Utilization of Four New Child Welfare Programs in Hawai‘i.
| dc.contributor.author | Agner, Joy L. | |
| dc.contributor.department | Psychology | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-05-28T20:35:39Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-05-28T20:35:39Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2018-05 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10125/62747 | |
| dc.subject | innovation | |
| dc.subject | evidence-based practice | |
| dc.subject | child welfare | |
| dc.subject | implementation science | |
| dc.title | Factors Affecting Utilization of Four New Child Welfare Programs in Hawai‘i. | |
| dc.type | Thesis | |
| dcterms.abstract | Despite an increased push to utilize evidence-based practice in child welfare, there are several challenges that prevent the implementation and widespread use of evidence-based practices. Some of these are situational and intervention specific, such as lack of fit with local culture and context, and others are inherent challenges in organizational innovation. A growing body of implementation science literature explores these challenges; however, few studies have addressed adoption of innovation in child welfare. This study aims to contribute to implementation research in child welfare by examining factors that are affecting adoption of new interventions in the child welfare system in Hawai`i. In 2015, one practice change and three new programs were implemented as a Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration project with the intention of preventing unnecessary placements in child welfare and increasing permanency for children in foster care for more than 9 months. Two years after their start date, the three programs were utilized at a much lower rate than was anticipated. Based on data from focus groups with caseworkers and past research on implementation and innovation, a survey was developed and administered to assess how certain factors may have affected utilization of the innovations. The final sample included 63 caseworkers and unit supervisors who refer to the new programs. Logistic regression was used to test relationships between referral to the programs within the past month and implementation factors (knowledge, compatibility, relative advantage, risk, workload, time commitment, peer buy-in), and linear regression was used to examine relationships between peer buy-in, peer relationships, and relative advantage. Results showed that risk significantly predicted referrals to IHBS, Wrap and SPAW (IWS) in the past month, and indicated a significant interaction effect between perceived time commitment of the interventions and workload. This suggests workload, time commitment, and perceived risk of the interventions should be addressed during the implementation of new programs in child welfare, and that the caseworker’s social system can be targeted to improve perceived relative advantage of new interventions. Furthermore, future research in this area can inform the uptake and utilization of evidence-based practices in child welfare, which has the potential to enhance services and improve the lives of involved children and families. | |
| dcterms.description | M.A. Thesis. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 2018. | |
| dcterms.language | eng | |
| dcterms.publisher | University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa | |
| dcterms.rights | All UHM dissertations and theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission from the copyright owner. | |
| dcterms.type | Text |
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